Gang of Youths - angel in realtime (February 25, 2022) • Page 26

I still can’t choose between TWY or this as AOTY, both have hit me right in my emotional core

 

The last couple lines of this still hit me thinking about them

 

best in music this year

 

Yeah "I wish you could meet them" hits crazy hard.

 

That's the one for me. If I haven't already cried during the album then that line gets me every single time.

 

giving this some time again today, spirit boy really might be their best song. staggering achievement of a song

 

Yup. Every single time. What an ending.

 

Listened to this for the first time in a month or two and god this is so impactful every time. It's sad, it's painful, it's happy.

Very few albums ever achieve what this does, emotionally.

 

i put it in my write up but this is far from a perfect album. multiple songs i don't really need to hear again. that doesn't stop it from, when it's on, being one of the most emotionally resonant pieces of music in a long time that hits like a sledgehammer. alvvays is probably the "best" album this year, this is my favorite.

 

The record had to grow on me a bit but it’ll probably be my AOTY. That said, and it seems like sacrilege to say this bc I know how adored the songs are, but I skip right over returner and brothers. The former sounds different from the rest of the record, at least the vox do, and I don’t care enough for the chorus for it to overcome it. The latter just feels too repetitive. They’re bruising songs but my ears don’t find them pleasant to listen to.

 

trying to figure out what song to put on the annual mix I make my uncle and I think as basic as it is I've got to go with "the man himself".

 

There’s multiple spots on this album that are impactful, but nothing is more fun than the bridge of Tend The Garden when it goes full Marvin Gaye

 

Great album. Angel and Wake are my most listened to. Opener and closer(s) are huge. Brothers is a sweet song. Lots to like in this album because of the story weaves throughout (which is such a crazy personal story and most people could t even do a concept record story that’s touch this).

 

I can’t remember if I shared this in this thread or not, but I saw them earlier this year and during Brothers the sound cut from the piano. He handled it like a champ. Finished the song A Cappella to a completely silent, captivated room. Gave me all the chills. One of the best live concert moments I’ve ever seen. Band, album and song are so special. Aoty.

 

How big are they outside of America?

 

based on what i’ve heard from a few aussie friends, they are much much bigger there than in the states

 

they are pretty massive in Australia as you might expect haha

 

its probably the best song I’ve heard this year hands down, seeing it live was an experience

 

They'd be the biggest modern rock band in Australia, aside from Tame Impala. Stadium tour status. And the big time live production to match. And the Chops and charisma to match.

Hoping In The Wake and Spirit Boy are both verrry high up in the Hottest 100. (Angel of 8th Ave was runner up last year; The Man Himself and Tend The Garden were only eligible last year too).

 

Oh and glad to see others skip Returner. That's the only skip for me.
Although I usually let it run and just think 'hmm this one is my least fav'.

 

Hadn’t written anything about this album other than a few tweets, so it was an honor for the team at Eight Albums to ask me to write about my favorite album of the year — which, obviously, is this. I talked a little bit about the personal reasons that this album has hit so hard for me.

Here’s the link: 2022

 

Oh man I love Returner. Especially the end.

 

it’s gotta be so weird to be a stadium level band in one place and then play like 1k cap rooms here

 

Obviously it’d be incredibly to see what they can do with an arena but I selfishly love their small shows here. It’s become a nice routine to drive to Philly for their small shows whenever they come to the states. Small room, everybody dancing and singing, great atmosphere.

 

I think here in the UK they're playing like 2-3k capacity venues. Surprised it isn't much more considering I think they live here now and have done for a while.